New Multi-mode R5 1xAA / 14500 light on DX! (Trustfire R5-A3)

I just went through this with DX and it went surprisingly smoothly (so far). They have an online form where all you tell them is the original order number and the new one and they supposedly take care of it. They sent me a confirmation e-mail the following morning. I had a store credit so they are supposed to send me a refund by PayPal. I haven't gotten it yet, but the order hasn't shipped either.

That's good news. Do you have a link for that form brted? Thanks!

It is here, the link that says "Apply store credit"

http://services.dealextreme.com/

http://services.dealextreme.com/forms/StoreCredits.aspx

Good thanks!

Please let us know your impressions of the light when you get it.

Now available at KD. http://kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=10582

It does appear to be an XP-G R5. I just hope it can tailstand.....

We are very concerned about that flashlight in our forum also.

120 lumens in XP-G does not seem so ...Its very floody.

I have a XP-G in a UF MCU C7s (sku 26497) and the low mode is very usable and gives tons of runtime.

The High mode at 1200mA is...awesome! As shown in DX: http://i50.tinypic.com/2gujleu.jpg (XPG left, p7 right)


If it is true that is regulated 1300mA ... WOW!

Today, I got some O rings I ordered sorta recently.

In November.

2008!!!!!!!

Hopefully this light will arrive a bit quicker than that.

Good grief! :Sp

Hey there XRAYBoY, do you think the low mode will be the same on the Trustfire R5-A3? Thanks!

I hope so....A XPG in low mode at 300mA has to give about 126 lumens...

XPG R5 tables:


Red: XPG R5 // White 2x XPE R2 (in parallel)


The XPG are very hard to compare with the XRE in lumens. The pattern of light is very different.Will be less concentrated.

(and less with the reflector so small)

So I say that 120 lumens flood will not seem so. Is very usable.But all this is conjecture ... I look forward to first review!!

First impressions, gets warm on a 14500 but doesn't appear to be a hand burner. Tailcap is annoying, fiddly internal threads and mushy switch - effective enough but I'd prefer shorter travel. Tailstands but not perfectly. Reflector is metal - probably just as well as it's likely to get pretty warm. Soldering to the LED is better than usual - it is definitely an XP-G. The LED is mounted on a 14mm curcular base with two flats cut into it. By the look of it, with a hacksaw. Quite large for an AA light, but a fraction smaller than the Trustfire F22 - roughly the same diameter. Threads not lubed.

It had significantly dimmed after 25 minutes. This is not a surprise.

How bright on High and Low? DX said 230 and 120, but with an XP-G it could be more like 300. Seems like the Low should be lower than 120.

Freshly charged Eneloop

High: 2.6A!! 40 minutes at best on high

Low: 800mA 2.5hr roughly

Strobe: 1.1A Long enough to seriously annoy people.

For all that it draws 3x the current on high, there is little visible difference (in daylight) between low and high. I appear to have lost my calibrating light so can't give lumen estimates at present.

Throw

1880 lux at 1 metre (High)

1150 lux at 1 metre (Low)

Lightbox

High: 679lux (But dropping fast - given the current draw, this is not a surprise)

Low: 408lux

Incredibly rough lumen estimates would be:

NiMH High: 150 lumens

NiMH Low: 90 lumens

14500 throw

High: 3520

Low: 1680

14500 Lightbox

High: 1280 at turn on and dropping fast

Low: 536

Vague approximations of lumens with a 14500

High: 284 lumens (At switch on - it won't hold this)

Low: 120 lumens


High: 1.8A! This is pushing things for a 14500

Low: 500mA

Strobe: 800mA


Hey Don thanks a lot for the update! Sounds like a less than appealing light. At least it arrived in working condition with a genuine XP-G R5. Is there some technical reason why there is not a single budget light with a true "moonlight" low mode of about 1 or 2 lumens? Is it difficult to design extremely low amp circuitry or something? Because all of the budget lights have a rather bright "low" mode, some of them ridiculously bright as you mention here.

I'll try to do a review when mine shows up. It recently left China for South America.

I can't think of any reason why a very low low shouldn't be possible. This thing ought to be able to run for days at low lumens. The styling is a bit meh, but it isn't that bad - for my purposes. I feel an experiment coming on. It may be possible to stuff in a couple of quarter watt resistors and drop the current to something less ferocious which would drop both the high and the low. At first impression it is of Romisen build quality - will be able to say more once it stops raining and I can get some close-up pics of its guts.

Actually, the higher internal resistance of an alkaline may tame it a little. With a lightly used (1.525V) alkaline it pulls:

High: 2.45A

Low: 840mA

Strobe: 1.1A

Throw - Alkaline

High: 1800

Low: 1140

Lightbox - Alkaline

High: 610 135 lumens

Low: 405 90 lumens - so 3x the current gives you 50% more light. A classic example of diminishing returns.

Will do some sums and see if I can stuff some appropriately sized resistors in there.